


under the same sky

by pinkwinwin



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff, Idols, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 02:42:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19416826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkwinwin/pseuds/pinkwinwin
Summary: “I feel like I was always supposed to meet you,” Lucas says, before adding “always supposed to be with you. Like this.”(or, Hendery falls in increments)





	under the same sky

**Author's Note:**

  * For [actuallyshua](https://archiveofourown.org/users/actuallyshua/gifts).



> Hencas good boys
> 
> #

How surreal it is, to be called something different than the name you’ve known your entire life.

  
  
Hendery thinks of this as he sits on his bed in the dorms, processing the words said to him by a manager only an hour before. He’ll be given a new name, stripped of the identity _Guanheng_ he’s lived with for so long, instead getting used to _Hendery._ It feels strange, like trying on clothing and wondering if you picked out someone else’s shirt or not. He looks at his hands in his lap, twisting the silver ring on his pinky and shuffling his foot against the cool tile of the room as he focuses on the commotion from down the hall.

The rest of the group is having a movie night, trading laughter and shouts over which film to ultimately decide on. It made slipping away easy, and Hendery is sure nobody saw him retreat to his dorm room and contemplate what was to come. He thinks of it as an escape, but a gentle knock on his door says otherwise.

  
  
“Come in,” Hendery says with a sigh, already working up his defense, when he sees a familiar boy’s face appear from the other side of the door.

“I knew you went somewhere,” he says, and Hendery tells himself this is _Lucas_ , not _Yukhei._ He swallows down the lump in his throat and nods slightly.

  
  
“Just needed a breather,” Hendery says, flashing him a smile he hopes is sincere. The way Lucas steps inside the room and gives him a concerned look says it isn’t. Lucas reaches out with his foot, tapping it against Hendery’s slipper carefully as he scrunches up his face in thought for a moment.

Lucas takes a deep breath and then speaks. “It’s not all bad, you know,” he says, glancing up to lock eyes with Hendery, “A new name, it’s like a secret identity.”

  
  
Hendery looks at him in shock. “How did you…” but Lucas smiles at this, tilting his head just slightly.

“Took a guess.”

Hendery sighs at this, nodding his head and looking at the floor. He hears a shuffling and in a moment a soft bundle of fabric is hitting his face. He grasps the hoodie, pulling it off his lap and staring up at Lucas. “What—”

  
  
“Oh come on,” Lucas says, taking one of Hendery’s hats and putting it on. He takes a second cap and plops it on Hendery’s head, adjusting it with a large hand. “We’re getting snacks.” 

  
“Snacks?” Hendery asks, taking off the cap only to slip the hoodie over his head before adjusting the cap back on his head. He pulls the hood up over it, mirroring Lucas’ questionable fashion choice and standing up. He lets Lucas usher him into the hall, putting a finger to his own lips dramatically and tip-toeing to the back exit at the end of the hall. Hendery follows suit, clambering onto the fire escape and down the metal stairs. Lucas hits the ground first, reaching up to help Hendery onto the sidewalk below.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Hendery asks, but Lucas just tilts his head back in laughter for a moment.

“Of course it is! Now come on,” he replies, crouching down in front of Hendery. It’s awkward for a second until Hendery realizes he’s offering a piggy back ride, so he climbs onto his back and loops his arms around his neck. Lucas hauls him up, standing at an angle as he begins to walk.

“I might be heavy,” Hendery mutters, leaning his face into the fabric of Lucas’ hood. Below him, Lucas laughs loudly.

“You’re like a feather.” 

They walk in silence for a few minutes, making it two blocks before Lucas speaks again. “I don’t think the name Hendery’s so bad. It’s the name we’ll use when we rob a bank someday.”

  
  
It’s Hendery’s turn to laugh, tucking his face into Lucas’ shoulder for a moment to muffle the sound. “I like that, Lucas.” 

Lucas hums in response, gripping Hendery’s legs tighter and crossing the final alleyway before they see the tiny corner store advertising two-for-one chips and brightly-colored carbonated drinks.

Hendery tucks his face into Lucas’ hood, taking in the scent of his body wash for a moment, and he smiles. 

  


♬

  


How strange it is, to touch someone yet still feel as if you don’t deserve it.

Hendery thinks of this as he settles into seat 3B, close to the window where he can see the clouds start to darken and the first signs of rain hit the tarmac. He leans the seat back as much as he can without disturbing Kun behind him. The company paid for a nice flight, the business class providing spacious areas for each member to unload their items and charge their devices on the flight. Hendery glances around as he sees Sicheng thumb through a book at his own station, Ten reaching into his own bag across the aisle to find his travel pillow. 

It’s evident that Lucas doesn’t quite understand the concept of personal space, however.

He flops into his space next to Hendery, letting his backpack slip off his shoulder and fall to his feet. His hood is pulled up over his head, messy brown hair peeking out of the side from where he fell asleep waiting to board. It makes Hendery laugh, taking one earbud out and looking over at him with a grin.

“Did the manager interrupt your beauty sleep?” Hendery asks, suppressing a laugh when Lucas grunts in response. He pulls the sleeves of his sweatshirt over his knuckles, plucking the earbud from Hendery’s grip and shoving it into his own ear. He sighs and leans his head on Hendery’s shoulder, already letting his eyes slide shut as the flight attendant announces all passengers to take their seats and prepare for takeoff. Something about the action makes Hendery’s face burn, and he looks straight ahead at the television screen embedded in the headrest in front of him. He sees their reflection, of Lucas’ head tucked in the space between Hendery’s shoulder and neck, and decides they look good together. 

Whatever this is, exactly. 

Hendery focuses on the way Lucas’ breathes deeply in his sleep, and a sense of calm washes over him. He smiles at the way Lucas is tucked against his side as the rain outside the plane begins to patter against the window.

♬

How special it is, to hear about the person you love from another person’s perspective. 

Hendery thinks of this as he stands in the kitchen, chopping vegetables at Kun’s direction and helping him prepare dinner. It’s just the two of them, working in the large space and relishing in the quiet, save for the occasional small talk. It’s something that Kun says easily that rolls around Hendery’s mind, however, and it makes him press the issue.

“What did you say?” Hendery asks, stopping his task of slicing vegetables to look up at Kun. He’s wearing a look of surprise at Hendery’s words, but he shakes his head for a moment before repeating.

“Lucas is a good boy, I think he makes everyone in the group feel good,” Kun repeats, and it makes Hendery smile.

“You think so?”

  
  
Kun nods, draining the pasta in the sink and letting the steam roll up to the ceiling for a moment. He pushes his sleeves up as the pot leans at an angle. “I do, I think he brings a lot of happiness to us.” Kun looks at him for a moment, arching a singular brow. “I think he makes you in particular very comfortable in the group.”

  
  
Hendery’s smile slides off his face and he turns back to the task at hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

He hears Kun laugh, and in a moment a hand pats his shoulder affectionately.

“It’s okay,” Kun says, “to find your own happiness,” and it stays with Hendery long after dinner is done.

♬

How beautiful it is, to finally allow yourself the space to love.

Hendery think of this as he sits in the practice room, panting after a particularly difficult choreography and fanning his shirt away from his body. His legs are crossed on the hardwood floor and he stares at the mirrors lining the far wall, at how Ten and Lucas goof off and make up some strange dance on the spot. Hendery is too tired to laugh, but his shoulders scrunch up affectionately at the sight.

Eventually the group dwindles out of the room, retiring to the kitchen or their own dorms for some much-needed rest. It’s when there’s only Lucas and Hendery left that Lucas allows his shoulders to sag with fatigue. He lays on the floor in front of Hendery, taking off his hat and running his large hand over his face.

“It’s been such a long day,” he groans, his fingers pressing against his own eyes gently. He sighs and lets his other hand fall to his chest, relaxing enough to let the tension out of his body. Hendery looks at him affectionately, feeling brave over the fact that Lucas isn’t looking at him directly. His gaze travels downwards after a moment, eyeing Lucas’ hand when a thought pops into his head. He speaks without hesitation.

“How big are your hands compared to mine?”

  
  
Lucas furrows his brow at this, removing his other hand from his face and cracking an eye to look at Hendery. “I’ve never thought about it.”

  
  
Hendery holds his hand out, waiting for Lucas to compare their sizes. After a moment of Lucas not responding, he worries he’s embarrassed himself but Lucas reaches out to press his palm against Hendery’s.

“No way!” Lucas howls, his voice echoing off the walls of the practice room. His hand lays a good inch wider than Hendery’s, his fingers naturally curling over the top of the other’s. Lucas erupts in laughter and Hendery does too at the sight, their laughs filling the practice room and bringing a sense of warmth into Hendery’s chest.

It fades off and Lucas looks at their hands curiously, shifting his grip to interlock their fingers together. He smiles satisfying at the sight. “Much better.”

  
  
Hendery’s cheeks burn at this, but he sits there holding Lucas’ hand. It feels warm and familiar, like his own hand was meant to fit perfectly in the space. 

Perhaps it always was.

Hendery can’t help but flick his eyes to Lucas’ lips, at they way they part when he looks at Hendery with wide eyes. Something about the energy between them turns tender and inviting, like a breath waiting for exhale. Lucas sits up slightly, reaching out with his free hand to push the dark hair out of Hendery’s eyes. 

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Lucas asks quietly, and Hendery is surprised at his soft tone. He tilts his head slightly, leaning into Lucas’ palm as he cradles Hendery’s face.

“What is?” Hendery whispers, gripping Lucas’ hand tighter. He can hear his own heartbeat in his ears, his pulse all the way down to his toes.

“I feel like I was always supposed to meet you,” Lucas says, before adding “always supposed to be with you. Like this.”

  
  
The world stops for a minute, Hendery can no longer hear the clock ticking in the corner of the room. His thoughts, his vision, his heart — it’s all _Lucas, Lucas, Lucas._

And how sweet it is, to find your other half in a life such as this. That beyond all the chaos of bright lights and screaming fans, Hendery can come home and find comfort in the same smile, in the same hands holding his own, and he can’t help but think there’s some beauty in that.

As Hendery leans in to connect their lips, he thinks of several things: He wonders how he’s traveled this long in life without finding the person that compliments him best, dreams of a day where he can love Lucas unabashedly, linking hands and walking the streets like they used to. But most of all, one clear thought stands above the rest:

He thinks how wonderful it is, to share this life under the same sky.

**Author's Note:**

> for my sweet jarki, thank you so much for joining the WayV crew and for always being such a great friend. I hope my first contribution to the hencas tag is as soft as you wanted 💞 and a huge thank you to [johntographique](https://twitter.com/johntographique) for beta'ing this on the fly and for always sticking with my wacky fic plans
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated ♡  
> [Fic Twitter](https://twitter.com/pinkwinwin)  
> [Main Twitter](https://twitter.com/truantseeker)  
> [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/pinkwinwin)


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